SHE won’t shout about it, that’s for sure.
If she can avoid talking about it altogether, even better. But don’t let the sound of silence fool anybody – Aoife O’Rourke is a major Olympic medal hope in Paris.
With so much focus on Kellie Harrington and the defence of her lightweight crown, Grainne Walsh’s remarkable return form injury hell, even the messy Amy Broadhurst situation that dominated the build-up for a time, O’Rourke has somehow stayed in the shadows.
She wouldn’t have it any other way, of course.
Quiet, reserved, if anyone prefers to do their talking in the ring, it is the Roscommon woman. But there is a teak tough edge lurking beneath the timid exterior.
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You have to go back to May for the last time O’Rourke lost a fight, with the 21 wins since bringing titles in the Haringey Cup, Usti nad Labem Grand Prix, Strandja tournament, European Championships (twice) and last summer’s European Games, where she sealed her crack at a second Olympic Games.
No other Irish boxer arrived in Paris on better form. Now 27, and with the experience of Tokyo three years ago underneath her belt, O’Rourke has reached the peak of her powers at just the right time.
“I think I’m continuing to learn and grow as a boxer,” she said.
“There’s a lot of ingredients into a recipe and it’s down to everyone else and then obviously myself for turning up and putting in the hard work.”
A queen of understatement too.
Inside the North Paris Arena on Wednesday night, she comes up against the most familiar of foes in Elzbieta Wojcik. Six times O’Rourke has met the Pole, most recently at the Strandja tournament in Bulgaria back in February, six times O’Rourke has won.
Wojcik must have considered asking the boxing Gods just what she had done wrong when they were brought together once more.
In Tokyo, the draw had not been so favourable, pairing O’Rourke with eventual finalist Li Qian first up. The Chinese boxer, number one seed in Paris, came up trumps that day, but is on the other side of the draw this time around.
But that experience of being here, even in the craziness of Covid times, at least prepared O’Rourke for some aspects of what is to come.
“The preparation was a bit different this time around since there’s no Covid any more and we were all allowed to train and mix together as a group.
“[After Tokyo] I just came home, had a few days off and then before you know it, you’re back into training. You don’t really think too much into it or any of that.
“You enjoy doing what you’re doing, so for me it was just get back into training, and I wanted to get back into training. It wasn’t like I was deflated or any of that.
“It’s great to have had that experience, but I’m expecting Paris to be a bit different than the way Tokyo was… having spectators and the crowd and the cheering of the Irish while you’re boxing will definitely be a huge motivator.”
Family have travelled out too although, by her own admission, the O’Rourke’s are “not big boxing people”.
Considering what Aoife has achieved, while youngster sister Lisa is already a World elite champion at just 23, that is hard to countenance. But, where they’re from, GAA was the only show in town growing up – both girls playing football for Castlerea, with Lisa going on to wear county colours.
“I was playing football at the time, I remember going down to a training session and the girls were on about that they’d been to this boxing club and the fitness was great and it was really tough training.
“That kind of gave me the spur and I was like ‘jeez I’d love to go and try it’. From day one it was all fun and laughter, and an excuse to go and meet up with your friends in the evening.”
Indeed, had things worked out differently, Lisa might have been in Paris with her.
Along with fellow world champion Broadhurst, she had hoped to be in the shake-up for a crack at going to the final World qualifier in Thailand – only for Grainne Walsh to get the nod.
“Of course I’m disappointed that she isn’t coming with me, but she’s so young and she has a big future ahead of her, I’ve no doubt.”
For Aoife O’Rourke, however, the future is now; ready to step out from the shadows on the biggest stage.
